1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to devices for mounting on or in work surfaces and, more particularly, to grommet assemblies for collectively warming and cooling liquids with the assemblies.
2. Background Art
Efficient organization of devices requiring electrical power within an office, commercial, industrial or residential environment has been a historical problem. Such devices include lamps, typewriters and the like. More recently, this problem has been exacerbated by the proliferation of additional devices for communications, such as complex telephone stations, computers, video displays and the like. The primary problems associated with the efficient organization and use of such devices relate to the abundance of wiring arrays and the positioning of the energy-requiring devices within the environment, particularly in office environments.
The problems of convenience, efficiency and aesthetics have been addressed, to some extent, with respect to electrical receptacles and voice/data terminals. For example, it is known to mount electrical receptacles (and data terminals) on a work surface in a retractable manner, so that power cords and communication cables may easily be connected to the electrical receptacles and terminals above the work surface, but both the cords and receptacles may be retracted below the work surface while maintaining power and communications to the user devices.
One relatively substantial advance in the art relating to the mounting of electrical receptacles in a retractable manner in work surfaces and the like, is shown in the commonly owned U.S. Patent to Byrne U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,788 issued May 31, 1988. In the Byrne patent, a retractable power center includes a retainer housing formed in the work surface, with a clamping arrangement to secure the housing to the work surface. A lower extrusion is connected to a lower portion of the housing, and a manually movable power carriage mounts receptacles. In response to manual application of upward forces on the power carriage, the carriage may be raised upward into an extended, open position. Small bosses extending from the sides of the carriage, resting on the top portion of the housing, support the carriage in the extended, open position. In the open position, the user can energize desired electrical devices from the receptacles, and then lower the carriage into a releasably secured, retractable position.
The Byrne '788 patent represents a substantial advance with respect to retractable power centers mounted on work surfaces and the like. In addition to the Byrne '788 patent, another relatively substantial advance in the art is disclosed in the commonly owned U.S. Patent to Byrne U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,173 issued Sep. 27, 1994. In the Byrne '173 patent, a retractable communications terminal center includes voice/data terminals adapted to be mounted in a work surface. The communications terminal center includes a lighting arrangement for providing illumination in the vicinity of the energy center. A pivot arrangement is coupled to the lighting configuration and to the energy center power carriage so as to provide a positional adjustment of the lighting arrangement relative to the carriage.
In addition to retractable energy center configurations, it is known to provide for relatively stationery configurations which are extremely accessible to electrical and communication devices on the work surfaces. However, although such configurations normally are stationery, it has been found to be advantageous to provide for such energy centers to be adjustable as to their particular position on or around a work surface. A substantial advance in the art with respect to such energy center configuration is disclosed in the commonly owned U.S. Patent to Byrne U.S. Pat. No. 6,379,182 issued Apr. 30, 2002. The Byrne '182 patent is described in substantial detail in subsequent paragraphs herein.
In addition to providing for work surface access to electrical receptacles and data terminals, it would be advantageous if such accessibility extended to other types of office applications. For example, one staple of almost all commercial, industrial and residential environments is the conventional coffee pot and hot water dispensers (for tea, chocolate or the like). Such coffee pot and water dispenser assemblies are utilized not only to brew liquids, but also to maintain their warmth. In this regard, however, after a user pours a cup of coffee or other liquid into a conventional cup, the liquid will cool relatively quickly. Often, such cooling occurs at a rate faster than the liquid is consumed by the user. When this occurs, the user is required to throw out the cooled coffee or other liquid, and refill the user's cup. This requires time and wasting of energy, since the user would typically have to walk from the user's work station to the coffee pot or hot water dispenser, and must also find a place to dispose of the cooled liquid. Accordingly, it would be advantageous if the user had means to maintain the coffee or other liquid at a desired, raised temperature, without requiring constant movement between typical coffee brewing assemblies and hot water dispensers, and the user's work station.
Still further, in addition to warming (and maintaining warmth) of liquids, it would also be advantageous to provide for the cooling of various types of liquids, and maintaining liquids at a desired cooled temperature. This is true with respect to colas, iced tea and similar beverages. However, many known types of products and methods for cooling or maintaining coolness of liquids can be relatively expensive, bulky or otherwise impractical. For example, in addition to the obvious process of putting ice cubes into beverages holders, is also known to maintain ice around beverage containers. Further, however, the use of such ice may be impractical because it may require constant replenishment and the resulted melted water may be a nuisance to dispose. Also, other refrigeration devices are required to produce the ice. In place of ice, known refrigeration means may be utilized, including such components such as compressors, Freon chambers and related devices. However, such refrigeration devices tend to be bulky and relatively expensive. Many such devices also consume a substantial amount of power.
In brief summary, it would be advantageous to provide for a liquid warming assembly which may be utilized on or within a work surface, and which would be relatively inexpensive, consume small amounts of power and be of a relatively small size. Still further, it would also be advantageous to have similar types of devices for cooling liquids and for maintaining liquids at a temperature below an ambient temperature.